Customer Reviews

Phuket to Host New Fruit Festival

Phuket to Host New Fruit Festival

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a new campaign to entice visitors to the country by marketing it as a top destination to enjoy tropical fruits.

Central Food Retail Company is working alongside government authorities, including the TAT, Central Pattana and the Ministry of Commerce to focus on durian – the king of the fruits – as the focal point of their campaign, which also aims to increase domestic consumption of the fruit.

The new campaign will culminate in the “Thailand Amazing Fruit Fest”, where more than 300 delicious Thai fruits will be served in three popular tourist destinations – including Phuket. Other fruity extravaganzas will take place in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Phuket is already well established as one of the Kingdom’s culinary hotspots – particularly for visitors that want to try some of Thailand’s best seafood dishes. The island is also home to an array of world-class restaurants. A growing number of visitors are also enjoying culinary treats within their private villa rentals, which often come with the services of a professional expert chef.

According to Phattaraporn Phenpraphat, executive vice president for marketing and public relations and Central Food Retail, Thailand’s geographical position and tropical climate make it the perfect place for the cultivation of high-quality, delicious fruits. This produce is particularly well appreciated by visitors travelling to the Kingdom on holiday.

Central Food Retail is particularly well placed to deliver the new fruit festival in Phuket, as it is an expert in selecting high quality produce from all over the country. Last year, the chain sold approximately 7,000 tonnes of domestically grown fruits. Banana, watermelon, mango, durian, pineapple and papaya were amongst some of the most popular products.

A durian buffet attracted plenty of visitors in 2016, of which 30% were overseas tourists. “The company was really satisfied with the event last year,” says Phattaraporn. “It created a signature and an image of Thailand as the world’s destination for tropical fruit. Therefore, we are making the durian buffet one of our main events this year.”

With the intention of encouraging fruit consumption and attracting tourists, we are cooperating the TAT, the Ministry of Commerce and Central Pattana to promote the event and create awareness among target markets, using two main strengths: the 17 types of durians and the locations of the buffets – namely Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

The event will comprise two sections – a buffet zone and a farmer’s market. The buffet zone will be packed with exotic options for visitors to try, including mangosteen, rambutan and lychee. Other fruity desserts on offer will include Thai sticky rice with mango and coconut milk ice cream.